NBA
Michael Malone wants to end his coaching career ‘on my own terms’
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated4 hours ago on September 23, 2025
Ahead of the 2025 playoffs, the Nuggets’ ownership made a shocking decision. With three games left in the regular season, they fired head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth.
Interim head coach David Adelman was hired as the full-time head coach in Denver. Malone has since landed a job with ESPN as a studio analyst. Recently, the former Nuggets’ head coach made an appearance on SiriusXM Radio. He mentioned having a “bad taste” in his mouth from how things ended with Denver. Michael Malone said he would “love to go out on my own terms.” It’s clear the 54-year-old still has an interest in coaching.
Will Michael Malone get a chance to coach in the NBA again?
Michael Malone says he still has a bad taste in his mouth with how things ended in Denver 👀
“I still have a bad taste in my mouth with how things ended in Denver, and I’d love to go out on my own terms. With that being said, what I’ve learned over my many years in this league… pic.twitter.com/IQkWFcmpPG
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 22, 2025
When Michael Malone was fired by the Nuggets, he was just two years removed from helping the team win its first NBA championship. Malone was the head coach in Denver for 10 seasons, going 510-394. In the playoffs, Denver was 44-36 under Malone and won the NBA Finals in 2023. Despite a few head coach openings this offseason, Michael Malone did not receive any traction. Many teams promoted from within to find their next head coach.
To stay in the NBA atmosphere, Michael Malone has landed a job with ESPN as a studio analyst. We’ll see how the long-time head coach does in an analyst setting. Former Warriors GM Bob Myers landed a studio analyst role with ESPN when he parted ways with Golden State. He’s since become a key piece of the NBA Today panel. Could the same happen for Malone?
Michael Malone on if he wants to coach again 👀
“I still have a bad taste in my mouth with how things ended in Denver, and I’d love to go out on my own terms.”
“What I’ve learned over my many years in this league is how important it is to go to work with people you care… pic.twitter.com/m6jwMxdWto
— DNVR Nuggets (@DNVR_Nuggets) September 22, 2025
If you ask the former head coach, he says his heart is still in the league. Recently, Michael Maline appeared on SiriusXM Radio and talked about how his time ended in Denver. He noted that his abrupt firing has left a “bad taste” in his mouth. Michael Malone has every right to want to avenge how his coaching career ended.
However, Malone has made it clear that it has to be the right fit. He wants to join a franchise that has a like-minded vision in how they approach the game. If the right situation is available, Michael Malone has made it clear he would love to coach again. For the 2025-26 season, Malone will be employed by ESPN. Will the one-time champion be able to land a head coaching job again?
